For analyzing operational data from a Cosmos DB NoSQL container using Azure Synapse Analytics, which service should be used?

Using Azure Synapse Link for Azure Cosmos DB is the correct choice for analyzing operational data from a Cosmos DB NoSQL container in Azure Synapse Analytics. This service provides seamless integration between Azure Cosmos DB and Azure Synapse Analytics, allowing you to run analytics on the operational data stored in Cosmos DB without the need for complex ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes.

Azure Synapse Link for Azure Cosmos DB enables real-time analytics by providing a direct and efficient path to query data with the serverless on-demand capabilities of Azure Synapse Analytics. This means that data can be analyzed with minimal latency and without impacting the performance of the operational database.

In contrast, other Azure Synapse Link options, such as those for SQL, Dataverse, or Blob Storage, are designed for their respective data sources and do not provide the same functionality or integration level specifically tailored for Cosmos DB. As such, they wouldn't be applicable for directly analyzing operational data from a Cosmos DB NoSQL container in the context of Azure Synapse Analytics.